Senior Seminar Richie Kassabian When dealing with mathematics, often times it is the case that there is more than one to get to the correct answer. As such many students learn different methods to solve problems and have different learning styles from one another (WildAboutMath). To identify what kind of learner your child might primarily be, parents and teachers use aptitude tests and different mini activities. Two main learning styles for younger children are auditory and visual, each a contradiction of the other but both effective for certain students in their own way. The first question that must be addressed if we are to compare visual and auditory learning is how to define them. Visual learning is a style adopted by many people that is most effective when dealing with graphs, diagrams, charts, or even just pictures. Due to this visual learners tend to have the ability to see the problem in their head and figure it out from there. Visual learners tend to do math in their head and not necessarily on paper. They are also generally better than auditory learners and subjects like geometry which have many or just descriptive pictures. When a visual learner doesn’t understand something it is almost useless to try to explain it to them and hope they understand it. Visual learners are more apt to sit back and watch someone else do the problem and learn from their actions rather than try to have someone explain it to them (MindTools). Differing from visual learning in many ways auditory learning is a style used by people in which they are most comfortable learning things if the method is relayed to them through the use of speech. Auditory learners tend to shy away from pictures and diagrams and are at their best when they are discussing problems in a group. While visual learners are more often good at geometry, auditory learners are better at algebra. Auditory learners are also good at talking out the problem with themselves (MindTools). They are generally able to work out the problem by talking it out with themselves. However, if an auditory learner doesn’t understand something it would be the most constructive for one of his peers to tell him verbally how to do it rather than showing him. On this note, one of the many strategies that auditory learners might use is mnemonics. Mnemonics involves using words to remember things that don’t necessarily have to do with words. For example the phrase, “How I Love A Funky Armadillo In Mexico” is a mnemonic device that can be used to figure out the first 8 digits of pi based on how many letters in each word, (obviously spelling counts) (George Hardy Auditory Learning).Phrases are also used to facilitate the application of mathematical techniques (George Hardy Auditory Learning). A common example of this strategy might be the phrase, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, a mnemonic device to help one remember the order of operations, (Parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction). If an auditory learner doesn’t understand something it would be the most constructive for one of his peers to tell him verbally how to do it rather than showing him. In conclusion, in general for math, visual learners do better than auditory learners. While auditory learners excel at language arts and history, those who are visual learners are best at math and science, especially geometry, or anything having to do with pictures or diagrams. Being an auditory learner as opposed to being a visual learner has its advantages, but as far as ability with math goes it is much more beneficial to be a visual learner as opposed to an auditory one. Works Cited · Hardy, George. "Auditory Learning." www.mnsfld.com. Mansfield University, n.d.
Web. 18 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mansfield.com>. · "Learning Styles." http://www.mindtools.com/mnemlsty.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 18
Oct. 2010. <http://www.mindtools.com>. · "26 tips for using learning styles to help your kids with math." http://wildaboutmath.com/2007/11/15/
26-tips-for-using-learning-styles-to-help-your-kids-with-math/. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://wildaboutmath.com>.
· Auditory learners o Thrive when talking/reading about a subject o Are weak when looking at a picture or a diagram o Generally not strong in geometry o Tend to do well in algebra o Also love discussion about topics § This is their primary way of learning and reviewing information o One of their best strategies is Mnemonic devices (ex.) “How I Love a Funky Armadillo in Mexico” (Pi to seven decimal places, obtained by counting the letters in the words. Proficiency with spelling is required) · Visual learners o Tend to be better at math/ science than auditory learners o Best at geometry or any kind of math having to do with pictures o Many times when visual learners don’t understand they would rather watch someone else do it then try and have someone explain it to them o They also tend not to be able to remember a set of directions well · Sensory learners o Prefer § concrete § Practical § procedural information. § They look for the facts. · Sequential learners prefer o to have information presented linearly o in an orderly manner o They put together the details in order to understand the big picture emerges · Verbal Learners o Learn from things being explained to them o Graphs are ineffective o Discussion is a good tool for these learners
Senior Seminar
Richie Kassabian
When dealing with mathematics, often times it is the case that there is more than one to get to the correct answer. As such many students learn different methods to solve problems and have different learning styles from one another (WildAboutMath). To identify what kind of learner your child might primarily be, parents and teachers use aptitude tests and different mini activities. Two main learning styles for younger children are auditory and visual, each a contradiction of the other but both effective for certain students in their own way.
The first question that must be addressed if we are to compare visual and auditory learning is how to define them. Visual learning is a style adopted by many people that is most effective when dealing with graphs, diagrams, charts, or even just pictures. Due to this visual learners tend to have the ability to see the problem in their head and figure it out from there. Visual learners tend to do math in their head and not necessarily on paper. They are also generally better than auditory learners and subjects like geometry which have many or just descriptive pictures. When a visual learner doesn’t understand something it is almost useless to try to explain it to them and hope they understand it. Visual learners are more apt to sit back and watch someone else do the problem and learn from their actions rather than try to have someone explain it to them (MindTools).
Differing from visual learning in many ways auditory learning is a style used by people in which they are most comfortable learning things if the method is relayed to them through the use of speech. Auditory learners tend to shy away from pictures and diagrams and are at their best when they are discussing problems in a group. While visual learners are more often good at geometry, auditory learners are better at algebra. Auditory learners are also good at talking out the problem with themselves (MindTools). They are generally able to work out the problem by talking it out with themselves. However, if an auditory learner doesn’t understand something it would be the most constructive for one of his peers to tell him verbally how to do it rather than showing him. On this note, one of the many strategies that auditory learners might use is mnemonics. Mnemonics involves using words to remember things that don’t necessarily have to do with words. For example the phrase, “How I Love A Funky Armadillo In Mexico” is a mnemonic device that can be used to figure out the first 8 digits of pi based on how many letters in each word, (obviously spelling counts) (George Hardy Auditory Learning). Phrases are also used to facilitate the application of mathematical techniques (George Hardy Auditory Learning). A common example of this strategy might be the phrase, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, a mnemonic device to help one remember the order of operations, (Parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction). If an auditory learner doesn’t understand something it would be the most constructive for one of his peers to tell him verbally how to do it rather than showing him.
In conclusion, in general for math, visual learners do better than auditory learners. While auditory learners excel at language arts and history, those who are visual learners are best at math and science, especially geometry, or anything having to do with pictures or diagrams. Being an auditory learner as opposed to being a visual learner has its advantages, but as far as ability with math goes it is much more beneficial to be a visual learner as opposed to an auditory one.
Works Cited
· Hardy, George. "Auditory Learning." www.mnsfld.com. Mansfield University, n.d.
Web. 18 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mansfield.com>.
· "Learning Styles." http://www.mindtools.com/mnemlsty.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 18
Oct. 2010. <http://www.mindtools.com>.
· "26 tips for using learning styles to help your kids with math."
http://wildaboutmath.com/2007/11/15/
26-tips-for-using-learning-styles-to-help-your-kids-with-math/. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://wildaboutmath.com>.
· Auditory learners
o Thrive when talking/reading about a subject
o Are weak when looking at a picture or a diagram
o Generally not strong in geometry
o Tend to do well in algebra
o Also love discussion about topics
§ This is their primary way of learning and reviewing information
o One of their best strategies is Mnemonic devices (ex.) “How I Love a Funky Armadillo in Mexico” (Pi to seven decimal places, obtained by counting the letters in the words. Proficiency with spelling is required)
· Visual learners
o Tend to be better at math/ science than auditory learners
o Best at geometry or any kind of math having to do with pictures
o Many times when visual learners don’t understand they would rather watch someone else do it then try and have someone explain it to them
o They also tend not to be able to remember a set of directions well
· Sensory learners
o Prefer
§ concrete
§ Practical
§ procedural information.
§ They look for the facts.
· Sequential learners prefer
o to have information presented linearly
o in an orderly manner
o They put together the details in order to understand the big picture emerges
· Verbal Learners
o Learn from things being explained to them
o Graphs are ineffective
o Discussion is a good tool for these learners